Albion skipper Darren Fletcher has admitted he can’t imagine playing for any other club than West Brom.

The Scot made the free move to The Hawthorns ten months ago after two decades, man and boy, with Manchester United.

Recent years have been difficult for Fletcher; he experienced an unfamiliar lack of game time at Old Trafford through a mixture of illness and stiff midfield competition before his Black Country move, but now he’s relieved to be back, fully fit and firing.

Darren Fletcher of West Bromwich Albion evades Mauro Zarate of West Ham United

“It means a lot just to be playing and maybe even more from a health point of view that I’ve barely missed a training session since I’ve been here.

“I knew my time was up (at United).

“It would have been harder to leave if Sir Alex (Ferguson) was still there, but the club had moved on.

“I enjoyed my time under Louis van Gaal and I learnt a lot, but it never happened for me under him.”

Fletcher has been an ever present for Albion this season, playing an important role in the heart of the team as a leader and as a footballer, as Albion have posted their second best start to a Premier League campaign.

“We got a win against Arsenal, we now have Tottenham at home next, which will be a very difficult game.

“But if we can improve our home form, we have shown we can pick up points away from home.”

The Scotland international lauded his teammates after showing the stomach for the fight in the last couple of games.

West Ham's Mauro Zarate opens the scoring against West Bromwich Albion with a free-kick

Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and West Ham’s Mauro Zarate ensured the Baggies fell behind in both matches - yet they prevailed with four points.

He added: “We believe we can get results at any match.

“We have got a great bunch of lads with a great spirit and I think it was epitomised in the last two games, going a goal down and coming back to get four points from the two of them. That shows a lot of character.

“Hopefully we can carry that on now and get a good performance for 90 minute. If we do, I would fancy us against any side.”

Fletcher will be without his midfield partner in crime, Claudio Yacob, when Spurs visit B71 this weekend.

The Argentine, who like Fletcher, has played ever Premier League game for Albion this season, picked up his fifth caution of the campaign in the West Ham stalemate and will be absent.

poll loading

Who should play in the suspended Claudio Yacob's place against Tottenham?